Copperweld Crane

Weighing in at over one million pounds, a huge truck crane out of Decatur, Ala., carefully sets on the ground one of four air conditioning units that was replaced on the roof of Copperweld Bimetallics in Fayetteville on April 3. The units ranged in weight from 9,500 to 10,500 pounds, said Lynn Patterson, Copperweld’s facilities engineering manager, noting that furthest unit from the roof’s edge was 308 feet.

“The combination of weight and distance narrowed the options to a helicopter crane service or the new 600-toon telescopic truck crane owned and operated by Solley Equipment and Rigging LLC out of Decatur, Ala.,” Patterson said. “The uncertainty of the weather eventually ruled out the helicopter.”

The truck crane required 17 truckloads of support equipment and two additional cranes to transport and assembly.

“Solley invested over $4 million in the crane,” he added. “It was a very impressive sight that drew many onlookers for the assembly and eventual lifting.”